


Saving Paladin Danse

by mewmew34



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Blind Betrayal spoilers, F/M, Paladin Danse/Samantha Fredricks, Spoilers, blind betrayal, female oc - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-13
Updated: 2016-09-13
Packaged: 2018-08-14 21:38:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8029747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mewmew34/pseuds/mewmew34
Summary: Headcanon for my OC and Paladin Danse during the events of Blind Betrayal, still somewhat a work in progress.  I did my best to tweak and change up in-game dialogue, but much of the conversation between Sole, Danse, and Maxson is unaltered.  I don't consider myself much of a writer so any suggestions for improvement would be appreciated.  Obviously, this contains spoilers for the quest Blind Betrayal, so read at your own risk if you haven't completed that quest in the game.





	Saving Paladin Danse

Sam stood on the helipad, looking down as Listening Post Bravo. According to Scribe Haylen, Danse would be somewhere inside. A pit formed in Sam’s stomach as she thought about what it was she had been sent to do. Thanks to her infiltration of the Institute, it was revealed that Danse was actually a synth. Danse had disappeared shortly after the pair succeeded in securing a stash of nuclear bombs located within the Glowing Sea, and Maxson had ordered Sam to track down and execute Danse for being a synth spy and a traitor. She had promised Haylen to hear what her former Commanding Officer had to say before making any final decisions, but she knew that no choice would be easy regardless of what he had to say.

After taking a few moments to calm her thoughts and steady her nerves, she readied her weapon, the Righteous Authority Danse had given her after their first mission together, and took out the turrets guarding the entrance to the listening post. Righteous Authority had been her favorite weapon since she received it, and she’d made a point to make modifications to improve on it. If she wound up being forced to carry out her orders, it seemed crudely fitting that it all end with the weapon that started it all. She only hoped that the sounds of gunfire and explosions wouldn’t cause Danse to panic. She needed to talk to him and find out his side of things. She had to find out if there was any way to get out of carrying out her orders.

Turrets destroyed, she made her way carefully to the bunker, unsure of what other defenses the old bunker may have had, or that Danse himself may have set up. Inside, all that can be seen is a single downed Protectron Danse must have destroyed when he arrived. She looks around, and notices an elevator with a terminal on the wall next to it. Checking the terminal shows there is no encryption to break through, merely a single command option for powering up the elevator. She selects it, and the elevator button lights up, ready to go. Sam takes several deep breaths as she attempts to calm her rattled nerves once more, unsure of what she’ll encounter at the bottom of the elevator. Finally, she presses the button, readies her weapon, and steps inside.

After what feels like an eternity, the elevator reaches the bottom and opens its doors. Sam steps outside only to have laser fire erupt around her, one shot grazing her right leg. Two Protectrons are still intact and are already hostile. She hurries behind a stack of crates and leans out, firing at the closer of the two protectrons. A few well placed shots has the robot down for good, and she quickly takes down the second the same way. A few more shots at a wall mounted turret that has opened fire, and it appears all the defenses are disabled.

Straight ahead, there’s a window, and sitting just on the other side of it is Danse. Her chest tightens painfully at the sight of him. He’s not in his power armor. There’s only one reason he would have exited his power armor in a situation like this, and that’s if he had no plans to defend himself. She does her best to fight back the fear as she makes her way forward, ignoring the pain in her leg. She notices Danse get up from where he’s seated, and her heart begins to pound as the possibilities race through her mind. Walking through the crumbled walls, she makes her way to the room Danse was in, where he’s standing ready to confront her.

“I knew Maxson would send someone to come after me. He never liked doing the dirty work himself. I only wish he had sent somebody else.” He stands steady, looking Sam in the eyes as he awaits her move. Sam takes a few deep breaths, and then asks what she’s been so desperate to ask. “Why didn’t you tell me, Danse? You know I don’t share the Brotherhood’s animosity towards Synths. You could have told me.” It was true, and something that often drew annoyance from Danse. After barely escaping with her life from the nuclear bomb, she knew all too well what could happen if people didn’t learn to be more careful. However, after traveling the Commonwealth and meeting people like Nick Valentine and John Hancock, she found it impossible to share the Brotherhood’s hatred towards those deemed non-human simply for being what they were.

Danse sighs, a trace of sadness crossing his face as he replies. “I didn’t know. Before Quinlain decoded that data, I thought synths were the enemy. I never would have imagined I would turn out to be one of them. If it weren’t for Haylen, we wouldn’t even be talking right now.” He sighs again, asking the question he already knows the answer to. “So, what are your orders? Does Maxson want me alive?”

“How could you not know?” Sam’s voice shakes, fear, anger, and desperation all struggling to take over, as she tries to figure out what’s happening. “You don’t have any memories of the Institute, or of how you got here?” Danse shakes his head at her question. “It doesn’t make sense to me, either. It’s like some cruel joke. I remember my childhood, growing up in the ruins. I suppose it was all just programmed into my head. I don’t feel any different than before. The evidence says I’m a synth, yet I still feel human. But, I suppose I’m nothing but a living lie. Why does it even matter? You’re here to carry out Maxson’s orders. Does he want me alive?”

A lump forms in Sam’s throat as tears threaten to fill her eyes. “No, he doesn’t. But I’m hoping there’s a way out. There has to be a way out.” Danse gives a sad smile and shakes his head once more. “Don’t be ridiculous. I know we’ve become good friends, and so this must be very hard on you. I really wish Maxson had sent someone else, as it isn’t fair to you. But the fact still stands. I’m a synth, a freak of nature, and I have to be destroyed. Disobeying your orders not only means betraying Maxson, but betraying the entire Brotherhood of Steel and everything they stand for. Synths should never be trusted to make their own choices. They’re machines, and need to be controlled. Technology run amok is what almost destroyed humanity once, and it can’t be allowed to happen again. I have to be the example, not the exception. You can’t let your kind heart allow you to ignore the threat that synths pose.”

Sam balled her hands into fists at her sides, one hand gripping her gun so tightly she thought she may shatter it, trying to keep her voice calm. “If you really believe that, why did you run? Why didn’t you stay and accept whatever Maxson decided?” Her heart was pounding so fast she felt as though it would explode. She had to find some way to convince Danse to live. He replied, his voice as calm as ever. “Once I learned the truth, I knew my life was in danger. I’ve been trained as a soldier, so survival instinct kicked in and I came here to regroup and asses the situation. However, once I’d had time to think, I realized I’d only made everything worse. I should have stayed and accepted my fate. Like I said, I must be the example, not the exception.”

“I don’t buy it. The empathy you’re showing is a human emotion.” She watched the man in front of her, looking desperately for any sign that he would reconsider. Danse gave her a small smile. “I appreciate that, but I’ve already made up my mind. You were sent here to execute me, and I’m not about to stand in your way. I will accept the consequences of my true identity.” Sam’s voice cracks as she speaks. “Please, Danse. There must be some way out of this. I won’t kill you. I can’t.”

“If you refuse to follow Maxson’s orders, you undermine him and everything the Brotherhood stands for, and I can’t allow that to happen on my account. I can’t stand by and allow you to risk your life just to keep me alive. I have to die, for the benefit of humanity itself.”

Unable to hold back any longer, tears begin to trace lines down Sam’s face, her entire body shaking. “I’ve already lost everything. My husband, my son, my entire life. Everyone I ever knew and cared for is gone. I can’t lose anybody again. I can’t bear to lose my friend, and I could never live with myself if I was the one who had to pull the trigger.” Sam lowered her gaze to the floor, trying to hide her tears from Danse.

“I…I never thought of it that way. I never considered how my death could affect those that care about me. Friends like you and Haylen. It wouldn’t be right of me to do anything without first considering the feelings of those I would be leaving behind. I suppose it‘s only fair that I take more time to think things through first.” Sam looks back up, tears still streaming down her face, and without a word walks up to Danse and wraps her arms around his shoulders, her face against his chest. Danse stands surprised for a moment before putting his arms around the trembling woman and doing his best to comfort her, unsure of exactly what to do. As he holds her, he speaks softly. “Thank you for opening my eyes. Maybe now, I can properly consider my next move.”

After some time, Sam finally steps back, wiping the tears from her face and taking a few slow breaths to calm herself. “Thank you, for sticking around. Whatever you do, know that I’ve got your back.” She gives him a small smile, but Danse keeps a serious look to his face. “I appreciate that, but I have my own path. The best choice is for me to leave the Commonwealth. The sooner I leave, the sooner I can put this all behind me. Give Maxson my holotags, to prove that your mission was successful. If you don’t, he’ll just send someone else to hunt me down. Now, let’s go. It’s time to get the hell out of here.” Danse motions for her to follow as he begins to make his way towards the elevator. Sam watches him for a moment, wanting to say something to convince him to stay with her, but decides that for now it’s best to take the victory she has. She moves quickly to catch up to Danse, and follows him into the elevator.

The ride up feels much quicker than before, and after just a few moments the doors open, Danse and Sam stepping out of the elevator. As they head towards the door of the bunker, Danse gets a bit of a lead on Sam. She’s starting to feel the pain in her leg, causing her to limp slightly as she follows the former Paladin. As he steps outside, he suddenly stops, and Sam hurries towards the doorway as she wonders what’s wrong. As she reaches the threshold, fear sweeps over her. Just ahead of them is Elder Maxson, and as he sees her appear in the doorway he speaks, his tone clearly angry. “How dare you betray the Brotherhood, knight!” As Sam desperately tries to think of a reply, she hears Danse speak up from beside her. “It’s not her fault, it’s mine.”

Maxson glares at Danse. “I’ll deal with you shortly.” He turns back to Sam, “Knight, why have you not destroyed this…thing as ordered?” Still dumbfounded, all Sam can do is wonder. “How did you find us?” Maxson stares her down, his eyes almost burning in anger. “I thought you may have some trouble when I sent you to execute this abomination, so I tracked you. Now that I’m here, I can see I was correct. What could it have said to make you betray the Brotherhood? Why has it not yet been killed?” Sam stares back at him, doing her best to not let the fear come through. “He’s still alive because you’re wrong about him. He’s not a traitor or a threat to you.”

“Him!? Danse isn’t a man. It’s a machine. A robot, created by the Institute. It wasn’t born of a loving mother, it was built within the cold confines of a laboratory. Flesh is flesh, machine is machine. The two were never meant to intertwine. The Institute has corrupted the sanctity of human life beyond measure with these creations.” Before Sam can say a word, Danse speaks up again. “After everything I’ve done, all the blood I’ve spilled in the name of the Brotherhood, how can you even say that?” Maxson turns his gaze towards Danse again. “You are the very embodiment of everything we hate most. Technology run amok. Just look around you, Danse. Look around at the scorched earth, the bones that litter the Commonwealth. How many millions, perhaps billions, died because science outpaced man’s restraint? They called it ‘A new frontier’ without considering the repercussions. Now, the same thing is happening again! You’re a single bomb among thousands, waiting to destroy what’s left of mankind.”

Sam finally finds her voice and speaks up. “That’s crazy. Danse has dedicated his life to protecting mankind, and he’s never done anything to make me believe otherwise.” Maxson turns towards her again, anger and frustration evident in his every action. “Did it tell you that? How can you trust a machine that thinks it’s alive? A machine that’s had its thoughts programmed, it’s soul manufactured! Those ethics aren’t its own. They were inserted in order to make it blend in to society.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Sam sees Danse look towards the ground. She worries that Maxson’s words are getting to him, but then he speaks up. “It’s true. I was built in a lab, and not all of my memories are my own.” He raises his head again, looking Maxson directly in the eyes. “But when my brothers died at my feet, I felt sorrow. When I defeated an enemy, I felt pride. And when you made your speech about saving the Commonwealth, I felt hope. I thought I was human, Arthur, and from the moment I was taken in by the Brotherhood, I’ve done nothing to betray you, and I never would.”

“It’s too late now.” Maxson stares back at Danse, his gaze steady. “The Institute made the mistake of granting you life. You should not exist. I will not debate this any longer. My orders stand, and I expect you to be executed.” He holds his stare on the synth before him, and Danse turns to Sam with a resigned look. “It’s all right.” The former Paladin speaks with a gentle tone, having accepted that things can’t be changed. “We tried our best. I thank you for showing me that my true identity is nothing to be ashamed of, and whatever happens, I will go to my grave with no anger or regrets. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend.”

“Touching.” Maxson practically spits the word. “Execute Danse, or I will, Knight. There are no other options. Carry out your orders, and I will be willing to overlook this little lapse in judgement. It‘s not your fault that Danse‘s true identity was hidden from you.” Sam turns back towards Maxson, staring at him coldly. “No. You will listen to me. After everything I’ve done for the Brotherhood, all the battles I’ve fought for you, you owe me that.” Sam’s heart raced, all the emotions she had felt earlier down in the listening post having resurfaced as she once again was faced with the fight to save his life. A fight she refused to lose, no matter the cost. “Regardless of who or what he is, Danse has always been on the side of the Brotherhood. He has carried out all his orders, including killing Synths when they appear. Not only that, but he has saved the lives of countless Brotherhood soldiers even at the risk of his own. Now, it’s time for you to save his life.”

Maxson held her gaze, but his voice held less anger then previously. “You’re a stubborn woman, aren’t you. Danse’s existence goes against everything the Brotherhood stands for, and you insist he remain alive. Very well. It seems I’m left with no other option.” He turns towards the former Paladin, his eyes narrowing. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re dead. This Knight carried out her orders and executed you, incinerating your remains to ensure the Institute can never get their hands on them. From here on, you can never again set foot on the Prydwen, and you are forbidden to ever speak to anyone from the Brotherhood of Steel again. If you attempt to do otherwise, you will be shot on sight. Do you understand me, Synth?”

“I do.” Danse smiles gently as he replies. “Thank you for believing in me.” Maxson glares at the man before him. “Don’t think this means I accept you. I am only granting you this mercy because of her.” He looks over to Sam once again, who is lost for words at this sudden change of mind by the Elder. “I will return to the Prydwen, Knight. Take a moment to say your goodbyes, and then I expect you to return. The Institute still needs to be taken care of.” At last, Maxson turns to leave, heading back towards the Vertibird waiting atop the helipad.

Sam and Danse watch as he gets inside and it takes off, heading back in the direction of the Prydwen. Once it’s out of sight, a wave of relief washes over Sam, and she sinks to the ground, suddenly too exhausted to remain on her feet. Danse quickly kneels down beside her, placing his hands on her shoulders to help hold her upright. “Are you OK, soldier?” Sam nods, letting out a shaky sigh. “Yes, I’ll be alright. I’m just so relieved that this is all finally over.” She looks over at Danse and gives him a smile to reassure him. “I was really afraid I was going to lose you.”

Danse smiles back. “It took a lot of guts to stand up to Maxson like that. I thank you.” Sam reaches up and places one hand over Danse’s for a moment, and then moves to try and get back on her feet. Danse offers his arms as support, and they both stand up once again, Sam wincing a little as she puts weight on her injured leg. “I couldn’t just stand by and allow you to die. Friends look out for each other, no matter what.”

Danse nods. “Yes they do, which is why I’ve decided to stay here. I hadn’t planned on spending the rest of my life at this listening post, but it will just have to do. You’re still going to need my help, and there’s no way I’m going to let you wander the Commonwealth alone. Whenever you need me, I’ll be here. For now, I’m going to make this place more livable. We’ll get you patched up and then you should head back to the Prydwen so you can decide what to do about the Institute.”

A pang of loneliness grips Sam. “Can’t you come with me now?” Danse shakes his head. “You heard Maxson. I’m not welcome aboard the Prydwen any longer, and I’m not about to undermine his authority. Go take care of what you need to do, and then come back. Anywhere else you need me to take the fight, I’ll be there. I‘ll find a way to contact Haylen and let her know what‘s happened. I doubt Maxson knows she was involved, so she should be safe. She deserves to know what happened.”

Sam nods, and after a moment’s hesitation she again wraps her arms around Danse in a hug, one hand reaching up to gently stroke his hair. Unsure of what else to do, Danse hugs her back, giving the woman the time she needs to be ready. Without moving away, Sam speaks gently into Danse’s ear. “It’s really over, right? Maxson won’t send anybody else? You promise you’ll still be here when I return?” Sensing the worry in her voice, Danse hugs her a little tighter and responds softly. “It’s over. Maxson is a man of his word, and so am I. He already sees me as dead, so as long as I stay away from the Brotherhood, he won’t send anyone else after me. And yes, I promise I’ll be here when you come back.. After all this, it would be a disgrace to run away or end my life. I couldn’t do that to you or Haylen after all you two have done for me.”

Sam gives a small nod, and after one final squeeze she releases Danse from her hug. He motions his head towards the bunker. “Come on, let’s go patch up that leg or you’ll have a hard time getting back to the Prydwen.” He smiles at her, and then starts walking back inside, Sam following behind. He gathers up what few supplies are available and proceeds to clean and bandage the laser burn on her leg. Sam winces a bit, but can’t help blushing slightly at the attention. She never would have imagined Danse were capable of such a gentle touch. After a short time, he finishes, and motions for her to get up. “Let’s see how you handle standing on it now.” Sam gets up and carefully puts weight on her leg. There is still some pain, but not at much as before. “Thank you, Danse. It feels much better now. I should be OK getting to the Prydwen.”

Sam starts heading back towards the door, but stops at the threshold and turns back to Danse with a smile. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, so take care of yourself until then.” He smiles back and her, and then gives her a salute. “Farewell for now, soldier. I hope when next we meet, it’s under happier circumstances.” Sam salutes him back. “It will be, I’m sure of it.” And with that, she turns to make her way back towards the Prydwen. Danse watches a moment as she leaves, and then turns and makes his way back down the elevator to start getting his new home properly set up.


End file.
